Man hacks two daughters to death

Bangalore, Jul 1: A 45-year-old man allegedly attacked his three daughters with a machete at home in Tunganagar, off Magadi Road on Monday evening, killing the two younger girls and critically injuring the eldest.

Ramesh, an autorickshaw driver whose vehicle had been seized by those who had lent him money, allegedly tried to kill himself with the same machete. Jurisdictional Ramanagaram district police did not reveal where they found Ramesh who was admitted to a nearby private hospital.

While Monisha, 7, and Monica, 10, died, Dharini, 14, is battling for life in a private hospital.

Tunganagar is in Magadi taluk of Ramanagaram district and about 12km from the city.

Ramesh is said to be deep in debt. He attacked the girls around 7pm when Gowramma was at work. A neighbour reportedly visited their first-floor home and asked for Gowramma. The children told the neighbour that she was expected to return soon.

After the neighbour left, Ramesh walked into the house and bolted the doors. He went to the kitchen and took out a machete. In his hurry, he dropped some vessels. Realizing that the girls had been alerted by his action, he barged into the bedroom and attacked the kids sitting on the bed.

Monisha, who was hit on her head, died instantly. Monica was hit on the neck and she too died on the spot. Dharini was hit on the jaw.

Building owner Annapoorna said she heard a commotion and rushed out of her ground floor house and went to Ramesh's house.

She raised a hue and cry on seeing Ramesh attacking the girls. Even as Ramesh fled, other neighbours arrived on the scene and rushed Dharini to hospital.

A photograph from the crime scene showed the two girls lying on the blood-spattered floor, with their faces badly mutilated.

Anupam Agrawal, superintendent of police, Ramanagaram district, confirmed that Ramesh was in custody.

Neighbours said Ramesh's autorickshaw had been seized rendering him jobless. "One of us tried to get him a job of an office assistant but it did not work out. Ramesh was frustrated that he didn't have a job," they said.